1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus associated with a host computer, and more particularly to a printing apparatus equipped with a hard disk drive (HDD) serving as a mass storage device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-210196, a conventional printing apparatus includes a built-in hard disk drive (HDD) functioning as a mass storage device that can store print image data received from an external device.
Furthermore, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-210247, a conventional printing apparatus includes an HDD (as a mass storage device) that can be attached and detached by a user.
The printing apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-210247 enables a user to remove the HDD when the HDD fails, and changes a flow direction of print image data so that a user can use the printing apparatus without using the HDD.
However, according to the printing apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-210196, a user cannot remove the HDD from the printing apparatus.
Accordingly, if the built-in HDD fails, the printing apparatus cannot process and transfer print image data. A user cannot use the printing apparatus unless a service staff replaces a failed HDD with a new HDD.